The present invention deals with rotatable handles, and, more specifically, with an ergonomically designed handle and locking mechanism for attaching a handle to a rotational member. An example of such device is a handle on a fishing reel or a crank handle.
When mounting a handle on a rotatable shaft, a number of engineering issues are encountered. Such handles are used to impart rotational force and motion to a rotatable shaft, such as on a fishing reel or crank handle. One mechanical difficulty arises in providing the user a handle that can be securely gripped and rotated without requiring the user to loosen or release the user""s grip on the handle in order to reposition the user""s grip during rotation. A further difficulty is encountered in providing the user a handle that can be securely gripped during rotation when the orientation of the apparatus, such as movement of the shaft and handle on a fishing pole, changes with respect to the user during use, such that the handle becomes awkward to hold or a person""s grip needs to be adjusted in more than one direction.
A second mechanical difficulty is encountered in mounting the handle to the rotatable shaft. The handle is generally mounted in a direction perpendicular to the rotatable shaft to provide the greatest lever arm, and turned in a circular direction. Difficulties have been encountered in reliably and durably mounting the handle to a round rotatable shaft to supply sufficient torque without breaking. Additional difficulties have been encountered when designing a method whereby the user can easily couple and decouple the handle to the rotatable shaft while providing a secure coupling when the two are connected.
The present invention addresses these concerns and others.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention allow a handle, such as for a fishing reel, to be securely grasped during rotation of the handle. Alternate preferred embodiments and features provide a simple and secure coupling between the handle and a rotatable shaft, such as to the spool of a fishing reel.
In one preferred embodiment, a handle and shaft assembly includes a rotatable shaft with a shaped end portion, where the shaped end portion is non-circular in cross-section. A handle cross-member is mounted perpendicularly to the rotatable shaft at a shaft mounting location. At least a first distal portion of the cross-member is offset from the shaft mounting location. A pedestal having a long axis is mounted to the distal portion of the cross-member. The pedestal includes a ball portion. A knob defines a socket which is coupled to the ball portion to form a handle with a ball and socket joint.
In a preferred shaft connection assembly, a locking member is fittingly engaged to the shaped end portion of the rotatable shaft such that the locking member and the rotatable shaft are substantially rigid in rotation. The locking member is also fittingly engaged with the cross-member such that the locking member and the cross-member are also substantially rigid in rotation. In one embodiment, the locking member is a cap which receives the shaped end portion of the rotatable shaft and which includes prongs with locking flanges which extend through corresponding openings defined in the cross-member.
In an alternate embodiment, the locking member is a washer with an internal channel which engages the shaped end portion of the shaft. The washer preferably includes a periphery which engages the cross-member to prevent relative rotational movement between the cross-member and the shaft. The washer can engage the cross-member by engaging prongs extending from a cap or by engaging protuberances formed in the cross-member.
It is one preferred object of the present invention to provide an improved handle and shaft assembly.
It is an alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide an improved fishing reel handle assembly.
Other objects and advantages of preferred embodiments of the present invention shall be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description.